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One Winter
One Winter is a 1995 TV movie directed by Elliot Strange, starring Benjamin Salisbury and Allison Mack. The film aired on The Family Channel and continued to do so every Christmas until the network became Fox Family. The film centers on Brian, an uptight boy who is often teased by his peers and parents in an attempt to make him more loose. He finds a surprise friend in Mabel, a punk who is thoroughly misunderstood and is also at odds with her more religious parents. Mabel plans to run away from home and live with two contacts out in New Hampshire, and Brian comes to terms with whether or not he'd be truly happy without his family. Plot Brian Uris (Salisbury) has always found it to take a joke, especially if it's at his expense. His father Lester is unhelpful, often teasing him over minor things in an attempt to prepare him for when he leaves home for good. School is hardly any better, as Brian is a typical victim of teasing. He is sent to a counselor after an outburst, but curses him out when he finds he has no interest in hearing Brian's complaints. Word gets out to Lester, but Brian refuses to talk to him about it due to past instances where Lester makes fun of him. This time proves no better as Lester turns the conversation toward him spending his winter break working at his tire shop, and having Brian help him. Brian refuses and worsens things by him claiming he has no desire to pursue a relationship. Lester accuses his son of being gay and Brian walks out to clear his head. Brian stops at a convenience store and comes across a clerk trying to force a girl out. Attempts at defending herself fall on deaf ears as she's thrown out of the store. Brian buys two sodas and goes to meet the girl. The girl, introducing herself as Mabel, claims that she was accused of stealing and that the clerk went by her attire over all else. Mabel promotes herself as a kind soul and demonstrates this by digging up worms and bringing them to a nearby bird's nest. Brian brings up his own qualms and both bond over the ignorance of their parents. Mabel gives Brian a keychain she snatched before the clerk threw her out. Mabel tells Brian to meet her at the park the next night and departs. On the last day of school, Brian gets back at one of his bullies by filling his locker with rotten fish, per a suggestion by Mabel, and framing it on a mean co-ed. Brian returns home and Lester tells him to go to the shop to begin work, but Brian gets out of it after signing Lester up for an elderly care program behind his back (per revenge for Brian being forcibly given a job at the shop.) Brian meets Mabel at the park and she leads him to an abandoned restroom which she customized as a personal hangout. Both further bond and Mabel talks more about her parents. Brian convinces her to be firm with her parents, and when she returns shocks her parents by curtly refusing to change according to them. Over the winter, Brian and Mabel further bond and Mabel tells him about her intent to leave town and travel to New Hampshire to live with two contacts. Brian is reluctant, for fear of what his father would do, but Mabel gives him a week to decide. Over the week Brian is driven to his limit after his father pulls a prank on him and makes fun of him over a forceful habit. He takes a gun out of Lester's drawer and blindly fires at him, demanding his freedom while destroying everything that gave him stress. Lester reluctantly concedes and says nothing as Brian departs. Meanwhile, Mabel gives a sermon at her parent's church and fights for her independence as well, cutting her parents out of her life forever after they choose their religion over her. Both flee to New Hampshire to start a new life. Cast * Benjamin Salisbury: Brian Uris * Allison Mack: Mabel Lander * David J. Partington: Lester Uris * Richard Marsur: Ernie Dodge * Tom Knickerbocker: Joey Lander * Donna Bullock: Charlotte Lander * Max Gail: Harold * Marg Helgenberger: Martha * Frank C. Turner: Theo